Principle Key directions Rationale How (see Map 14 for further direction)
5. Manage and utilise our strategic assets and support agricultural productivity
• Encourage the development of marine infrastructure to support economic development of marine assets
• Sustainably manage key agricultural land
• Grow food production related industries
The quality and abundance of environmental and constructed assets – including major transport infrastructure, marine environments and fertile agricultural land – provides sustainable competitive advantages for the region. The use and improvement of these assets support the region’s increasing role in food and fibre production for domestic and international markets.
Planning must sustainably manage valuable agricultural land, together with the water, air and ecosystems that support it, and the environmental assets (including significant landscapes) that contribute to the identity of the region and its growing tourism industry.
• Use best practice contemporary approaches to rural land use planning such as adapting to climate change, avoiding potential conflicts with non-agricultural uses, matching land use to land capability and sustainably manage environmental assets
• Provide support and direction on appropriate locations for the establishment of new agricultural industries
6. Sustainably manage our natural, cultural and environmental assets
• Tourism opportunities will be enabled, where appropriate, around cultural heritage and natural environments where impacts and risks from natural hazards can be managed
• Identify and facilitate opportunities for improved connections, water management and response to natural hazards
• Identify potential economic opportunities and risks resulting from climate change
• Sustainably manage and enhance the features of the region that attract development, agriculture, residents and tourists
Natural resources such as fish, timber, sand and stone and gas, and environmental assets such as native forests, waterways, coasts and soils, all contribute to the liveability and economic prosperity of the region. Sustainable management will include a combination of use, protection and enhancement. Environmental assets are also recognised for their natural beauty, and their contribution to visitor experiences and quality of life for existing residents.
• Direct urban settlement to existing towns and rural activities to appropriate locations
• Establish vegetation corridors between high value environmental assets
• Identify and sustainably manage natural resources, environmental assets and features of environmental value in the planning schemes
• Direct urban growth, commercial, industrial and rural residential development away from areas where it would limit the ability to utilise environmental assets and natural resources
PART D | REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN
Principle Key directions Rationale How (see Map 14 for further direction)
7. Enhance equity of access to infrastructure, facilities and services
• Provide well-located, flexible and accessible social infrastructure
• Recognise that the entire region needs to be serviced by infrastructure, facilities and services. Adopting a network of settlements approach will assist in achieving this aim
• Improve equity and access through the enhanced telecommunications and broadband internet availability
The Great South Coast’s dispersed population provides lifestyle choices for residents, diverse communities and a workforce distributed throughout the region. Equitable access to infrastructure, facilities and services will need to be maintained and enhanced, including through technology, coordinated service delivery and transport improvements.
• Focus key facilities and services in the most accessible locations, particularly the regional city, regional centres and towns shown in Map 14: Regional growth map
• Ensure access to educational and health facilities is built into settlement network frameworks
• Examine opportunities for providing facilities that service clusters of small or remote settlements
• Provide new service and social infrastructure to support the areas of growth shown in Map 14:
Regional growth map
• Support greater housing choice
• Develop a housing strategy that addresses housing for key workers on major projects
8. Strengthen connections to other regions
• Develop transport and infrastructure connections
• Cross-regional relationships between settlement networks are understood and developed
• Develop the eastern area of the region and integrate it with the G21 region
• Integrate cross-regional tourism routes and assets
The region exports goods to other parts of Victoria, Australia and internationally.
It has townships that service dispersed communities that are also close to large cities in adjacent regions. Improved inter-regional connections will promote economic activity, social inclusion and facilitate access for residents and visitors.
• Investigate improvement to road and rail connections to regional cities in adjoining regions and to Melbourne, including for example between Warrnambool and Geelong
• Identify the strategic opportunities and impacts to facilitate linkages between regional cities from significant growth areas in Geelong and the G21 region
• Plan for improved and flexible freight connections to link areas of production and manufacturing to export markets in and beyond the region
• Maximise the transport network to encourage settlement and economic growth on and around existing transport corridors
• Link the broader tourism experiences throughout the region
REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN | PART D
Principle Key directions Rationale How (see Map 14 for further direction)
9. Ensure that the land and infrastructure needed to support growth is identified and appropriately planned
• Manage the impact from major projects on regional infrastructure and surrounding land
• Supply sufficient and appropriate industrial land to support economic development
• Investigate and prioritise infrastructure needs to facilitate economic development and population growth in settlements
• Maintain and enhance key infrastructure including the Port of Portland and direct transport links from production, processing and markets
New and improved infrastructure that supports growth – including road, rail, water, waste, gas, sewer and social infrastructure – must be planned and coordinated to ensure it is supplied efficiently and when required.
To support economic and population growth, land supply must be monitored to ensure availability of the right type of land in the right location.
• Support the provision of appropriate and timely infrastructure to facilitate growth
• Increase industrial land supply to support the areas of growth
• Identify opportunities and plan for marine industries and infrastructure
• Develop infrastructure servicing the Port of Portland, particularly rail and road networks, in conjunction with expansion plans
• Support the Port of Portland’s expansion through appropriate land use planning and overlay controls
• Review transport and infrastructure provision in key urban areas to keep pace with growth
• Support the National Airports Safeguarding Framework
• Require planning approvals for major projects to consider the impacts on regional infrastructure and surrounding land
PART D | REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN
Map 14: Regional growth map
Source: Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure